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Snow fall from big trees??

My upcoming trip is getting more interesting. Besides the low temps ( down to 6 Fahrenheit) they are now calling for 30 to 50% chance of snow. It is also going to snow there in the next day or so. We will be snow shoeing a few miles and all but me will use tents/ tarps. My concern now is about the possibility of big chunks of snow falling off the trees.
Any input?

Look up before you set up camp and see if there are any snow bombs already up there or if snowfall has the potential to accumulation into them. Also, shake the tree if you can and see if any snow falls.
Have an awesome time out there and take some photos.

Shaking the tree

Originally Posted by Fronkey

Look up before you set up camp and see if there are any snow bombs already up there or if snowfall has the potential to accumulation into them. Also, shake the tree if you can and see if any snow falls.
Have an awesome time out there and take some photos.

Fronkey

Thanks Fronkey. I will look up, but as far as shaking, these are big trees, nothing that will move with my input..

Site selection is going to be key. Pitch tarp with a steep angle. You will be able to find trees with less snow on them. My trip last week snowshoeing hit low temps around 7* lots of snow on the ground but none falling. Where are you headed?

Where we are going

Originally Posted by Sidewinder

Site selection is going to be key. Pitch tarp with a steep angle. You will be able to find trees with less snow on them. My trip last week snowshoeing hit low temps around 7* lots of snow on the ground but none falling. Where are you headed?

S

We will be going to Dewey Point from Badger Pass in Yosemite. As far as I know these are big trees. Some wind possible too.
Another backpacker that was going to hammock decided to go on the ground because of the possibility of snow bombs coming off the trees.
I would love to stick to hanging, but now I question the wisdom of that.

Nothing to confirm except old memories, but Yosemite is full of pines. Unless it is a heavy and wet snow, pines are pretty good about shedding snow bombs before they go atomic; more like snow grenades. A steep pitched tarp will sluff them off without problems. This is a common issue here in Colorado, but it has never caused me any real problems.

Also, consider when you'll be in your hammock; at night. Night is when the temps fall and any snow stuck to the trees generally freezes to the tree until the morning thaw. The mornings are when I start to hear the thudding of snow grenades.

Look up (as always) and you'll be able to spot the trees with snow problems. Look for trees shorter than the others in the canopy and they'll have less snow accumulated on them due to them being sheltered by the other taller trees. Those are the ones you want. Also, prevailing wind in Yosemite is from the west, so camping on the east side of ridges will not only give you some snow shelter, but it will be warm(er) when you are moving around in the morning. Always a nice thing.

It is a concern alright. In my ground days, a branch broke off from snow load and punctured my buddies tarp! He got rudely awakened by a big snow load right in his face, but that obviously could have been worse, at least only snow dumped in his face!

Still, unless you are going to be on the ground out in the meadow away from all the trees, what are you going to do? The snow is on the limbs, and some of the snow and the occasional limb will come down.

BB58s long time rule: hang from the smallest ( least girth and shortest) trees available that will support my weight and get the job done, as far away from all the big trees as possible, and of course look up for anything that looks more dangerous than usual. For the 1st part of that, it may be impossible to find anything not big enough to really hurt if it comes down. And try to make camp before dark, so you can see! And look for those bug damaged trees, they are very common after so many drought years!

As for snow falling, unless the limbs are really huge, and if your tarp has a steep pitch, it should not be a major problem. As long as the snow does not bring a branch down with it, then it can be a problem, with ripped tarps or worse.

Nothing to confirm except old memories, but Yosemite is full of pines. Unless it is a heavy and wet snow, pines are pretty good about shedding snow bombs before they go atomic; more like snow grenades. A steep pitched tarp will sluff them off without problems. This is a common issue here in Colorado, but it has never caused me any real problems.

Also, consider when you'll be in your hammock; at night. Night is when the temps fall and any snow stuck to the trees generally freezes to the tree until the morning thaw. The mornings are when I start to hear the thudding of snow grenades.

Look up (as always) and you'll be able to spot the trees with snow problems. Look for trees shorter than the others in the canopy and they'll have less snow accumulated on them due to them being sheltered by the other taller trees. Those are the ones you want. Also, prevailing wind in Yosemite is from the west, so camping on the east side of ridges will not only give you some snow shelter, but it will be warm(er) when you are moving around in the morning. Always a nice thing.

What cannibal said.

" The mind creates the abyss, the heart crosses it."

“The measure of your life will not be in what you accumulate, but in what you give away.” ~Wayne Dyer